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☆ Davos: Zelensky warns Putin’s war must not become ‘frozen’ as Ukraine faces shortage of weaponry and aid
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Christian Edwards | Niamh Kennedy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Is the third world war possible? Putin’s war was less than a year old when Zelensky last spoke at Davos via a video link in January 2023. Zelensky said the West's fears that supplying weapons would escalate the war cost Ukraine time, lives and opportunities. Speaking at Davos shortly before Zelensky, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said only continued support for Ukraine would make Putin to relent. “And the paradox is that, if we want that to happen… the way to get there is [to send] more weapons to Ukraine.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelensky, Zelensky, “, Putin, ” Zelensky, Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s, Ursula von der Leyen, Von der Leyen, ” Von der Leyen, Ursula Von der Leyen, Gian Ehrenzeller, ’, ”, Fabrice Coffrini, Jens Stoltenberg, ” Stoltenberg Organizations: CNN, Economic, Hamas, ”, Getty, NATO Locations: Davos, Switzerland, Ukraine, Russia, Kherson, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Pyongyang, Tehran, AFP

☆ Russia will defeat Ukraine if the West abandons it, a former NATO commander says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Read previewFormer NATO chief Philip Breedlove says Ukraine faces defeat in its war against Russia without the West's support. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Breedlove, who served as NATO commander from 2013 to 2016, said earlier that Russia would prevail because it "has more people and depth than Ukraine does." Related stories"If the West chooses to give Ukraine what they need to win, Ukraine will win this war. Representatives for Breedlove did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

Persons: —, Philip Breedlove, Breedlove, Joe Biden, We'll, Biden, Volodymyr Zelenskyy Organizations: Service, NATO, Business, Newsweek, Ukraine, Republicans, GOP, House GOP, Ukrainian, Business Insider Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian

☆ China could take inspiration from Vladimir Putin as it seeks to conquer Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Gregor Schwung | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Read previewOn the beach of the Taiwanese island of Kinmen, pointed metal rods protrude from the ground and point towards the sea. To test Western resolve, China could first grab one of the offshore islands - just as Putin initially seized Crimea. After all, the only previous hostilities between Taiwan and China took place here - Beijing tried to conquer Kinmen in 1960 and 1970. To take Taiwan, China does not need Kinmen or the other offshore islands as a springboard. Due to its proximity to the mainland, Chinese military activities and any preparations for an invasion can be easily observed from here.

Persons: —, Gregor Schwung, Xi Jinping, Putin, Xi, Sun Tzu, Li Wen, Jing, Li, Vladimir Putin, Yao, Yuan Yeh Organizations: Service, Business, Congress, Kinmen, dicey coastguard, People's Liberation Army, Institute for National Defence and Security Research, Ministry of Defence, WELT, New, Security, Beijing, Communist Party, St Thomas University, Policy Locations: Kinmen, China, Xiamen, Taiwan, Taipei, Pratas, People's Republic, Crimea, Washington, Beijing, Ukraine, Taiwan's, Houston

☆ Budget airlines like Spirit and Ryanair make up almost a third of global airline capacity. Here's how they do business
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-20 | by ( Magdalena Petrova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Budget airlines have become common, making a no-frills experience for travelers a core part of their business models. Budget airlines in Europe include EasyJet , Ryanair and Wizz Air, while Asia is served by players such as AirAsia and IndiGo . Some of South America's low budget airlines include JetSmart, GOL and Wingo. Budget airlines try to keep a close eye on their operational costs by maximizing time spent in the air and passenger volume. "You typically see pilot pay a little bit lower on Spirit and Frontier and some of the budget airlines compared to the full service airlines," Keyes said.

Persons: Scott Keyes, Savanthi Syth, Raymond James, Keyes Organizations: Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Budget, EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizz, AirAsia, IndiGo, CNBC Locations: U.S, Europe, Asia, GOL, Wingo

☆ Southwest Airlines pilot pay would increase 50% under new labor contract
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-19 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Southwest Airlines and its pilots' union have reached a new preliminary labor agreement that would give pilots 50% cumulative pay increases over the life of the contract, a deal that could end years of tense negotiations. The five-year deal is worth about $12 billion, Casey Murray, president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, told CNBC on Tuesday. In comparison, larger rival United Airlines ' new four-year pilot contract is worth about $10 billion, according to the aviators' union. Once the contract becomes amendable, Southwest pilots would get 2.5% annual bonuses until the airline and union reach a new agreement. FedEx pilots rejected an preliminary deal earlier this year, while UPS pilots' union is set to start negotiations in mid-2024.

Persons: Casey Murray Organizations: Southwest Airlines, Southwest, U.S, Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, CNBC, United Airlines, United, Delta, FedEx, UPS, U.S . Department of Transportation, Labor, Hollywood, United Auto Workers union Locations: Southwest

☆ Southwest fined $140 million for last year's holiday meltdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-18 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. Department of Transportation on Monday said it fined Southwest Airlines $140 million for violating consumer protection laws during last year's holiday meltdown that stranded millions of customers following severe winter weather. It includes a $35 million cash payment to the government, which Southwest said will be paid over three years. The agency ordered Southwest to set up a fund to compensate future travelers for flight disruptions in the airline's control. Southwest didn't provide enough customer assistance during the meltdown or give prompt flight change notifications, the DOT said. Speaking at an industry event in New York last week, CEO Bob Jordan vowed that last year's holiday meltdown "will never happen again," just days ahead of the busy holiday travel period.

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, Bob Jordan, Jordan Organizations: U.S . Department of Transportation, Southwest Airlines, Southwest Locations: New York

☆ Ukraine is on track to make 72 howitzers next year, but will struggle to get the ammo to use them, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

That means it's on pace to make at least 72 howitzers next year, Forbes reported. But Ukraine and its allies are short of ammunition, with Ukraine limiting its firing as a result. AdvertisementUkraine is ramping up its domestic weapons production and is on track to manufacture 72 howitzers next year, but will struggle to have enough ammunition to use them, Forbes reported. Ukraine's domestic production of weapons, like the howitzers, will help to plug any gaps that emerge. But even after maximizing its howitzer production, Ukraine will struggle to have enough ammunition for them.

Persons: Forbes, —, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Service, NATO, EU, Politico, House Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Russian

MP Materials (MP.N), Lynas Rare Earths (LYC.AX) and other Western rare earths companies have struggled at times to deploy it due to technical complexities and pollution concerns. "The existing rare earths refining process is a nightmare," said Isabel Barton, a mining and geological engineering professor at the University of Arizona. Fannon and several U.S. politicians have called for Western governments to create central rare earths processing hubs, a plan already being pursued by Canada. In Saskatchewan, government scientists are working to launch their own rare earths processing technology after attempts to buy Chinese technology sputtered in 2020. "These new sources for rare earths are going to be paramount if we're going to reach global net zero targets," said Steve Schoffstall of the Sprott Energy Transition Materials ETF (SETM.O), which holds shares in several rare earths companies.

Persons: Isabel Barton, Michael Schrider, Ucore, Luisa Moreno, REETec, Robert Fox, Frank Fannon, Mike Crabtree, Crabtree, Steve Schoffstall, Ernest Scheyder, Veronica Brown, Claudia Parsons Organizations: International Energy Agency, University of Arizona, U.S . Air Force, Pentagon, Defense Metals, U.S . Department of Energy's, U.S . Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory, Saskatchewan Research Council, SRC, Ucore, Reuters, Thomson Locations: ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana, China, United States, U.S, American, Alaska, of New Orleans, British Columbia, South Africa, Florida, Norway, Massachusetts, U.S . Department of Energy's Idaho, Wyoming, Canada, Saskatchewan

John Kerry, President Joe Biden's climate envoy, is expected to announce at COP28 a global strategy in nuclear fusion. If it is produced using renewables like wind or solar power, as opposed to fossil fuel generated power, it is called green hydrogen. Governments and companies think green hydrogen could be a way to clean up hard-to-decarbonize industries like steel and cement-making and other industrial manufacturing. PwC said technologies like green hydrogen and reducing food waste have relatively high emissions reduction potential, but are receiving a small share of start-up investment. In 2023, green hydrogen got 3.9% of global climate-tech venture funding, while food waste got 0.7%, it said.

Persons: PwC, John Kerry, Joe Biden's, David Schatsky, Schatsky, Timothy Gardner, Richard Valdmanis, Diane Craft Organizations: International Energy Agency, Fusion Industry Association, FIA, Companies, Deloitte, Entrepreneurship, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Olfus, Iceland, Dubai, United States, Texas, Louisiana, Australia, China, Germany, Japan, U.S, ASIA, AFRICA, France, India, Asia, Africa

☆ COP28: Exxon Mobil CEO rebuffs IEA criticism of carbon capture strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Darren Woods, CEO of ExxonMobil, reacts at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S., November 15, 2023. "So, you could say that about carbon capture today, you could say that about electric vehicles, about wind, about solar. The future role of carbon capture technology and fossil fuels is a key issue at the conference. Exxon has announced $17 billion of investment in its low carbon business, which includes carbon capture, and has argued that greenhouse gas emissions are the problem causing climate change, not the fossil fuels themselves. Woods declined to provide details of the contracts, but said U.S. subsidies in last year's Inflation Reduction Act of up to $85 a ton for carbon capture and sequestration would make the investments profitable.

Persons: Darren Woods, Carlos Barria, Woods, EVs, We're, Richard Valdmanis, Katy Daigle Organizations: ExxonMobil, Economic Cooperation, REUTERS, Rights, Exxon Mobil, International Energy, Reuters, Exxon, IEA, Thomson Locations: Asia, San Francisco , California, U.S, Dubai, Gulf of Mexico, United States

Russia has increasingly had to turn to a so-called "ghost fleet" of aging tankers to ship oil and avoid the cap. Panama, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Liberia have allowed some of those ships to carry their flags, according to Lloyd's List Intelligence and oil analysts. Lloyd's List Intelligence has said nearly 40% of the about 535 dark-fleet tankers have registered ownership via companies incorporated in the Marshall Islands. It also seeks to give leverage to countries buying oil outside the price-cap coalition to get discounted oil from Russia. The group is asking Liberia and the Marshall Islands to increase awareness among those in the trade that its flag should not be used for tankers transporting oil priced above the cap.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Lindsey Whyte, John Berrigan, Brian Nelson, Timothy Gardner, Simon Webb, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Marshall, Intelligence, Britain's Treasury, U.S . Treasury, Reuters, EU, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Panama, Moscow, Ukraine, Russia, China, India, Republic, Marshall, Washington, British

☆ Cops raided gay bars in Moscow and documented its customers 2 days after Russia's top court deemed LGBTQ+ groups 'extremist'
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russia's top court declared the LGBTQ+ movement extremist, clamping down on gay rights under Putin. Less than two days later, cops raided gay bars and clubs, documenting present customers. AdvertisementRussian security forces raided gay clubs and bars across Moscow Friday night, less than 48 hours after the country's top court banned what it called the "global LGBTQ+ movement" as an extremist organization. The raids follow a decision by Russia's Supreme Court to label the country's LGBTQ+ "movement" as an extremist organization. In 2013, the Kremlin adopted the first legislation restricting LGBTQ+ rights, known as the "gay propaganda" law, banning any public endorsement of "nontraditional sexual relations" among minors.

Persons: —, clubgoers, Vladimir Putin, Max Olenichev, Olenichev, Putin, Andrei Loginov, Olga Baranova, they're, Baranova Organizations: Putin, Service, Police, Russia's, Justice Ministry, Central, Associated Press, Kremlin, Human Rights, Moscow Community Center, AP Locations: Russia, Moscow, St, Russian, Ukraine, Geneva

☆ Explainer-Can Technology Solve the Global Climate Crisis?
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

Persons: Timothy Gardner, PwC, John Kerry, Joe Biden's, David Schatsky, Schatsky, Richard Valdmanis, Diane Craft Organizations: Reuters, International Energy Agency, Fusion Industry Association, FIA, Companies, Deloitte, Entrepreneurship Locations: Dubai, United States, Texas, Louisiana, Australia, China, Germany, Japan, U.S, ASIA, AFRICA, France, India, Asia, Africa

That is because in his four years working the tower at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the controller said, Southwest planes usually took off as soon as they got permission. “But hindsight being 20/20,” controller Damian Campbell told investigators, he “definitely could have held them,” referring to making the Southwest crew wait. Campbell said he couldn't even see the Southwest plane through the dense early morning fog on Feb. 4. Political Cartoons View All 1273 ImagesThe National Transportation Safety Board released transcripts of interviews and other details of its investigation Wednesday. “We had this dense ground fog ... you couldn't see anything,” Campbell told investigators.

Persons: Damian Campbell, “, Campbell, Bergstrom, ” Campbell, ” Organizations: DALLAS, FedEx, Southwest, Bergstrom International Airport, Transportation Safety, NTSB, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, Navy, Austin Locations: Texas, Austin, Southwest, Cancun, Mexico

People, including Russian law enforcement officers, walk near St. Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower, as a pigeon flies over Red Square in central Moscow, Russia, March 20, 2023. It was not clear from Russian media reports which foreigners the draft legislation - if it becomes law - would apply to or what the punishment would be for not adhering to the "agreement" which foreigners would have to sign upon entry to Russia. The chairman of the Duma's CIS Affairs Committee said that the draft law was well advanced and was being worked on by the interior ministry, the government, the presidential administration as well as his committee. "The draft law on the so-called 'loyalty agreement' with migrants entering the Russian Federation is in a high degree of readiness," Leonid Kalashnikov told Interfax.

Persons: Evgenia, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Leonid Kalashnikov, Kalashnikov, Lidia Kelly, Guy Faulconbridge, Andrew Osborn, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, TASS, Russian Federation, Fatherland, Nazi, Opposition, State Duma, Duma's CIS, Committee, Thomson Locations: St, Basil's, Moscow, Russia, MOSCOW, Ukraine, Soviet, Berlin, Europe, Melbourne

Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 has led to the most serious confrontation between Moscow and the West since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, prompting Putin to pivot towards China. Speaking to the World Russian People's Council, led by the head of Russia's Orthodox church, Patriarch Kirill, Putin's picture was shown on a giant screen beside two copies of an ancient Orthodox icon. The Russian Orthodox Church is an ardent institutional supporter of Russia's war in Ukraine, and Putin has espoused its conservatism as part of his vision for Russia's national identity. Putin says that the West is now failing in Ukraine and that its attempt to defeat Russia has also failed. Patriarch Kirill said he would pray for Putin to continue his work for the "benefit" of Russia and its people.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Klimentyev, Putin, Kirill, Guy Faulconbridge, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Russian People's Council, Sputnik, REUTERS Acquire, Kremlin, West, NATO, KGB, Thomson Locations: Sochi, Russia, Kremlin, MOSCOW, Ukraine, Moscow, China, United States, Soviet Union, Russian

[1/6] Chinese Premier Li Qiang speaks at the opening ceremony of the first China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing, China November 28, 2023. "We are willing to build closer production and industrial supply chain partnerships with all countries," Li told the first China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE), adding that the international community needs to be "more wary of the challenges and risks brought about by protectionism and uncontrolled globalisation." The expo, organised by the state-run China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), is Beijing's latest bid to increase foreign investment in China, which has dropped to historic lows. Despite this decrease, China remains an attractive option: a survey conducted by HSBC bank at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) earlier this month showed 45% of firms expect to expand their supply chain in China over the next year. Zhang Shaogang, a CCPIT official who was part of the Chinese delegation at the APEC summit, said last week that 20% of the foreign firms exhibiting at the supply chain expo were U.S.-based, and included Amazon (AMZN.O), Apple (AAPL.O), Tesla (TSLA.O), and Intel (INTC.O).

Persons: Li Qiang, Florence Lo, Premier Li Qiang, Li, Dan Marks, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden, Zhang Shaogang, Zhang, Eduardo Baptista, Joe Cash, Jamie Freed, Miral Organizations: China International, Chain, REUTERS, Premier, European Union, China Council, Promotion of International Trade, HSBC, China, Royal United Services, Economic Cooperation, APEC, Apple, Intel, Thomson Locations: Beijing, China, EU, BEIJING, United States, Ukraine, Taiwan, India, Mexico, Vietnam, U.S, Asia

Now "it's like 'plus-10' and then China," he added, with the latter down to providing half of Industry West's products and being trimmed more. China recorded its first-ever quarterly deficit in foreign direct investment in July-September, suggesting capital outflow pressure. But for the first time in the four decades since China opened up to foreign investments, executives are now also concerned about long-term growth prospects. Primavera Capital founder Fred Hu cites mounting macroeconomic uncertainty, a "murky capital market outlook," and lingering concerns over past regulatory crackdowns on high-growth industries such as technology and education. Despite the challenges, foreign investment flows are not unidirectional.

Persons: Jordan England, Nicholas Lardy, England, I'm, Li Qiang's, Li, Michael Hart, Noah Fraser, Fred Hu, Hu, Joe Cash, Ellen Zhang, Kane Wu, Eduardo Baptista, Don Durfee, Kripa Jayaram, Marius Zaharia, Jamie Freed Organizations: China, Reuters, Peterson Institute for International Economics, LONG, Conference Board, China International, Canada China Business Council, Reuters Graphics, Primavera Capital, Tech, Thomson Locations: China, BEIJING, HONG KONG, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, Mexico, England, Florida, Washington, Beijing, consultancies, U.S, Asia, Australia, Europe, Hong Kong

Secretary General of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Haitham Al Ghais speaks during the Energy Asia conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia June 26, 2023. "This presents an extremely narrow framing of challenges before us, and perhaps expediently plays down such issues as energy security, energy access and energy affordability," Al Ghais said in a statement. Al Ghais has said OPEC would be present at the climate talks. In Thursday's note, the IEA was also critical of carbon capture technologies. It is that the energy challenges before us are enormous and complex and cannot be limited to one binary question," Al Ghais said.

Persons: Haitham Al Ghais, Hasnoor Hussain, Al Ghais, facto, Maha El, Mark Potter Organizations: Organization of, Petroleum, Energy Asia, REUTERS, IEA, Dubai DUBAI, International Energy Agency, of the Petroleum, United Arab Emirates, Thomson Locations: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Dubai, Paris, UAE, OPEC, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, U.N, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Russia offered to end its invasion of Ukraine if it dumped plans to join NATO, but Kyiv feared a double-cross, says negotiator
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Rebecca Rommen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Russia proposed ending the war if Ukraine abandoned its NATO ambitions, a Ukrainian politician said. AdvertisementRussia offered to stop its invasion of Ukraine on the condition that Zelenskyy's government abandoned its ambition to join NATO, The Kyiv Post reports. The Russian delegation reportedly proposed ending the war if Ukraine dropped its NATO aspirations and took a neutral position. Three days after Johnson's departure from Kyiv, Putin publicly declared that talks with Ukraine had "turned into a dead end." The US opposes extending NATO membership to Ukraine in the immediate future to avoid escalating the West's tensions with Russia.

Persons: —, David Arakhamiya, Arakhamiya, Natalia Moseychuk, SERGEI SUPINSKY, Boris Johnson's, Johnson, let's, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Vladimir Putin, Putin Organizations: NATO, Service, Kyiv, People, Ukrainian, Russian, Getty Images Former British, Ukraine Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Ukrainian, Belarus, Turkey, Bucha, Kyiv, AFP, Finland

He said the EU had to show "more empathy" for the loss of Palestinian civilian lives in Israel's war against Hamas, launched in response to the deadly Oct. 7 cross-border assault by the Palestinian militant group. On the trip, which ended on Monday evening, Borrell heard Arab leaders and Palestinian civil society activists complain that the 27-nation EU was not applying the same standards to Israel's war in Gaza that it applies to Russia's war in Ukraine. EUROPE STRUGGLESAs High Representative for foreign policy, Borrell is charged with crafting common positions among EU members. It has largely limited itself to support for Israel's right to defend itself within international law and calls for pauses in fighting. Borrell, a veteran Spanish Socialist politician, last month declared that some of Israel's actions contravened international law - to the annoyance of some EU member countries.

Persons: Josep Borrell, Defence Margarita Robles, Isabel Infantes, Kibbutz Be'eri, Borrell, Israel's, Andrew Gray, John Irish, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: EU, Representative, Foreign Affairs, Defence, REUTERS, Palestinian, European Union, Ukraine, Hamas, Reuters, West Bank, United Nations, Spanish Socialist, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Toledo, Spain, Ukraine, BRUSSELS, Israel, Gaza, Palestinian, Kibbutz, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, EU, United States, East, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Belgium, France, Spanish

Ministers from OPEC+, which groups the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and allies led by Russia, meet on Sunday in Vienna. Robust global oil prices this year and Moscow's growing use of a shadow tanker fleet have meant that much Russian oil has traded mostly above the Western oil cap price. Moscow-based independent oil analyst Alexei Kokin said the oil prices declined from "very comfortable" levels to "just comfortable" levels. Russia has budgeted the price of Urals, its flagship oil grade, at 4,788 roubles ($53.36) per barrel this year. However, the share of energy sales in the federal budget proceeds - which used to exceed 50% of total budget revenue - has drastically declined.

Persons: Alexander Manzyuk, Vladimir Putin, Alexei Kokin, Ronald Smith, Vladimir Soldatkin, Guy Faulconbridge, Jason Neely Organizations: REUTERS, Energy, OPEC, Organization of, Petroleum, BCS, Investments, Brent, Thomson Locations: Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, MOSCOW, Vienna, OPEC, U.S, China, Saudi Arabia, United States, Moscow

☆ Southwest, other US airlines face holiday travel test after 2022 blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Rajesh Kumar Singh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Southwest Airlines planes are show at San Diego International airport in San Diego, California, U.S., May 18, 2023. The chief operating officer of Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) found himself in the eye of a storm after a blizzard last December forced the company to cancel almost 17,000 flights, disrupting travel plans for about 2 million customers. With this week's U.S. Thanksgiving holiday kicking off the holiday travel season, Watterson can ill afford another fiasco. Airlines have taken measures to beef up winter operations including investments in weather forecast technology and de-icing equipment, and increased staffing and training. To make its winter operations more resilient, Watterson said Southwest invested in de-icing trucks and de-icing pads across its network.

Persons: Mike Blake, Andrew Watterson, Watterson, Constance von Muehlen, David Seymour, von Muehlen, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Doyinsola Oladipo, David Shepardson, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Southwest Airlines, San Diego International, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, U.S . Transportation Department, Alaska Airlines, University of Washington, United Airlines, American Airlines, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, U.S, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, U.S, Dallas, Denver, Chicago, Southwest, Seattle, Alaska, Newark , New Jersey, Congress, New York, Washington

☆ Russia admits it was on the verge of economic collapse after getting hit with western sanctions last year
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Jennifer Sor | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia made a rare admission regarding the effectiveness of Western sanctions. A Kremlin spokesperson said the nation was on the brink of collapse after unprecedented sanctions. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . That economic pressure was largely brought on by sanctions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Peskov added. Russia's economic projections are also based on cherry-picked data, according to two Yale researchers, who have proposed that the nation's economy could be teetering on the edge of collapse as the war consumes all available resources.

Persons: —, Dmitry Peskov, Peskov, Putin Organizations: Kremlin, Service, Russia, SWIFT, International Monetary Fund, Yale Locations: Russia, Moscow, Russia's, Ukraine

☆ Russia's 'ghost ships' could be targeted at a sea choke point in a bid to enforce the West's oil price cap
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Russia has been using so-called "ghost ships" to skirt the West's oil price cap. Russia sends millions of barrels of crude oil through a choke point at the Danish straits, per the outlet. AdvertisementRussian oil tankers could face a crackdown at a key choke point, according to the Financial Times. But Denmark could struggle to stop the ghost ships because of constraints on its own navy, according to maritime experts. Blocking commercial traffic in the Danish straits would come close to a declaration of war," Hans Peter Michaelsen, an independent defense analyst, told Reuters.

Persons: —, Hans Peter Michaelsen Organizations: EU, Financial Times, Service, European Union, KSE, Bloomberg, FT, UN, Reuters Locations: Russia, Denmark, Moscow, Saint Petersburg, EU, Danish

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